Instagram Introduces Location Sharing

Instagram is introducing the ability for users to share their locations with their friends via DMs (direct messages). The feature indicates that the Meta-owned social network is looking to challenge services like Apple’s Find My and Snapchat’s Snap Map, both of which are popular ways for users to see their friends’ and loved ones’ live locations. The launch of the feature doesn’t come as a total surprise, as Instagram was spotted testing a way for users to see their friends’ live locations earlier this year. It’s worth noting that Meta’s other messaging app, WhatsApp, has allowed users to share their live locations with others for quite some time. Unlike Apple and Snapchat, which let you share your location with others indefinitely, Instagram is only letting users do so for up to one hour. Instagram says the feature can be used to coordinate arrival times or to find your friends in crowded spaces.